There shall be a Fire Department in the Village
of Irvington for the prevention and extinguishment of fires. There
shall be in the Fire Department a Chief Engineer, one or more Assistant
Engineers, one or more hose companies, and one or more hook-and-ladder
companies.
Each company shall be composed of the number
of able-bodied firemen, as provided by law, who shall be inhabitants
of the Village. Each company shall elect from its members, a Foreman,
comply with all of the laws applicable to them, and it may prescribe
proper bylaws and rules for its government, subject to the approval
of the Board of Trustees. The members of the entire Fire Department
may nominate candidates for Chief Engineer, for Assistant Engineer
or Engineers, and for new members, and certify the same to the Board
of Trustees. The Foreman of each company shall obey the orders of
the Chief Engineer, or his Assistants, who in turn shall take orders
for the Department from the Board of Trustees, preserve order and
discipline in his company at all times, see that the hose, ladders,
trucks and carriages are kept in proper order, the firehouse at all
times in order, and the apparatus ready for use. In case of any required
supplies, or any damage to the hose or apparatus or other article,
or necessary repair of any article in any company, the Foreman of
such company shall report the same to the Chief Engineer who shall
investigate the matter, and thereupon report the same with his recommendation
to the Board of Trustees.
[Amended 8-18-2003 by L.L. No. 20-2003]
Fire hydrants shall be opened only by members
of the Fire Department in the discharge of their duty for the extinguishment
of fires except by order of the Board of Trustees. Hydrants to be
used for street sprinkling purposes shall be opened by properly authorized
persons. No unauthorized person shall be allowed to open any hydrant,
gate, valve, stop or blow cock, or to place any obstruction on or
about them. Any person violating any of the provisions of this section
shall be liable to pay a penalty for each and every offense. The penalty
shall be as set from time to time by the Board of Trustees.
The Chief Engineer and the Assistants shall
be appointed by the Board of Trustees upon the recommendation of the
members of the several companies or a majority of them as herein provided,
and shall have authority over and control of the Fire Department,
and power at all fires to order and direct the placing of the apparatus
and shall give such orders to the Foreman or officers in charge of
the company as he or they may deem necessary for the extinguishment
of fire, the orders of the Chief Engineer to be paramount when he
shall be in personal charge of the fire. The Chief Engineer shall
promptly investigate the cause and origin of all fires in the Village
and report the same to the President or to the Board of Trustees.
The Fire Department of the Village of Irvington
and its component company or companies, subject to the provisions
of § 209 of the General Municipal Law of the State of New
York, may upon authorization by the Chief Engineer, or in his absence
from the Village by the acting Chief Engineer, respond to an alarm
for aid from, and may proceed to, another city, village, town or fire
district, or territory outside of a city, village, town or fire district,
for the purpose of assisting in extinguishing a fire or fires therein,
and while in the performance of their duties in extending such aid,
the members of the Irvington Fire Department shall have the same immunities
and privileges as if performing the same within the Village of Irvington.